William Kunstler

Lore & Background

William Moses Kunstler was a prominent American attorney and civil rights activist, widely recognized for his defense of the Chicago Seven. He was an active member of the National Lawyers Guild, served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union, and co-founded the Center for Constitutional Rights, which was described as the leading gathering place for radical lawyers in the country. His representation of the Chicago Seven led *The New York Times* to call him the country’s most controversial and perhaps best-known lawyer. Kunstler also defended members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, the Catonsville Nine, the Black Panther Party, the Weather Underground, Attica Prison rioters, El Sayyid Nosair (the assassin of Meir Kahane), and the American Indian Movement. He successfully litigated a de facto segregation case concerning Washington, D.C.’s public schools and was credited with single-handedly reviving the concept of federal criminal removal jurisdiction in the 1960s. Kunstler refused to represent right-wing groups, stating he only defended those whose goals he shared and that he was not a lawyer for hire but only defended those he loved. He was a polarizing figure: many on the right sought his disbarment, while many on the left admired him as a symbol of a certain kind of radical lawyer. Even some fellow civil rights lawyers viewed him as a publicity hound and a hit-and-run lawyer, though legal writer Sidney Zion noted his skill with the press and his credibility.

Reader's Guide

William Kunstler was a deeply divisive figure in American law, known for his passionate and unapologetic advocacy on behalf of radical left-wing clients. He explicitly refused to represent right-wing groups, stating he only defended those whose goals he shared. His most famous case was the defense of the Chicago Seven, which earned him the label of the country’s most controversial and best-known lawyer from *The New York Times*. Beyond this, he represented a wide array of militant and revolutionary organizations, including the Black Panther Party, the Weather Underground, the Catonsville Nine, the Attica Prison rioters, and the American Indian Movement. He also defended members of the Revolutionary Communist Party and El Sayyid Nosair, the assassin of Meir Kahane. His legal work extended to civil rights, where he successfully challenged de facto segregation in Washington, D.C.’s public schools and singlehandedly revived the concept of federal criminal removal jurisdiction in the 1960s. Kunstler was a co-founder of the Center for Constitutional Rights, described as the leading gathering place for radical lawyers, and was an active board member of the ACLU. His methods drew criticism even from fellow civil rights lawyers, who saw him as a publicity seeker who brought high-profile cases while others won them. Legal writer Sidney Zion noted Kunstler’s skill with the press, saying his stories checked out and he had credibility, though one sometimes had to question if his claims were true.

Did You Know?

• Kunstler graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University in 1941.
• He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Pacific theater, rising to the rank of major and receiving the Bronze Star.
• The New York Times called him 'the country's most controversial and, perhaps, its best-known lawyer' after his defense of the Chicago Seven.
• Kunstler stated, 'I only defend those whose goals I share. I'm not a lawyer for hire. I only defend those I love.'